Batteries in the Trash are DANGEROUS!
Most portable electronic devices use rechargeable batteries and millions of rechargeable batteries are sold in California each year. California no longer allows batteries to be disposed of in the trash because they contain toxic metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel.
Once one battery cell goes into thermal runaway, it produces enough heat to cause adjacent battery cells to also go into thermal runaway. This produces a fire that repeatedly flares up as each battery cell in turn ruptures and releases its contents. The most recent examples of household used batteries causing fires are vape pens, cell phones and hover boards. All electronic devices run the risk of overheating, exploding and causing fire. Placing the used batteries from these devices into the garbage can is extremely dangerous for both your family and our staff.
Throwing batteries in the garbage can may cause fires in your home, in the trucks while being transported to the landfill and at the landfill. This is very dangerous for our truck drivers and other employees. Please help keep your family and our employees safe by properly disposing of all of your used batteries.
Waste Management
Serving King City and Unincorporated Monterey County
Waste Management takes residential batteries for free. Place batteries in a quart size zipper bag and place the bag on top of your blue recycling cart when you put it out on your pick up day.
Tri Cities Disposal & Recycling
Serving Gonzales, Greenfield & Soledad
Tri-Cities takes residential batteries for free. Place batteries in a quart size zipper bag and place the bag on top of your blue recycling cart when you put it out on your pick up day. For more information click on the drop down box below.
1) Place 9V, AA, AAA, C, D, and button or hearing aid batteries in a clear zip-top plastic bag
2) Place the bag ON TOP of the lid of your BLUE mixed recycling cart on your regular trash collection day
3) Our driver will pick up the bag and deliver it to a collection facility for recycling.
Do NOT include any other type/size of battery (these can be recycled at our annual cleanup events or at drop off locations below)
Do NOT place bag inside of the recycling cart (this is very dangerous and can be hazardous to our recycling staff!)
Do NOT include any other type of item in the bag
Republic Services
Serving Salinas
Batteries can be dropped off at 1104 Madison Lane Household Hazardous Waste facility or at any of our free drop of stations as listed below.
Battery Drop Off Locations
Gonzales
Johnson Canyon Landfill – 31400 Johnson Canyon Rd
Gonzales Branch Library – 851 5th St
ACE Hardware – 851 5th St Suite P
Greenfield
Greenfield Branch Library – 315 El Camino Real
Rancho San Miguel – 500 Walnut Avenue
City Hall – 599 El Camino Real
King City
Jolon Transfer Station – 25654 Jolon Road
Rite Aid – 540 Canal St
King City Branch Library – 404 Broadway St
King City, City Hall – 212 S. Vanderhurst Ave
Prunedale
Prunedale Branch Library – 17822 Moro Rd
Salinas
Household Hazardous Waste Facility – 1104 Madison Lane
Ace Hardware – 1215 S Main St
Cesar Chavez Library – 615 Williams Road
John Steinbeck Library – 350 Lincoln Ave
El Gabilan Library – 1400 N. Main St
Soledad
Soledad Branch Library – 401 Gabilan Dr
Soledad City Hall – 248 Main St
